Corn-grinder.



No. 650,291: Patented May 22, |900..

F. W. ZIMMERMAN. CORN GRINDER (Application filed-Sept. 14, 1899.

2 Sheets-Sheet l,

(No Model.)

No. 650,29I. Patented May 22, |900.

F. W. ZIMMERMAN.

BURN GRINDER.

(Application lad Sept. 14, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

s :QD

Wilgsses 4 EW-zmmwlljcglon /Y i al a/zlllorljeoys.

AUNITED i STATES PATENT rricii.

FRANK W. ZIMMERMAN, OF VASHBURN, TEXAS.

CORN-GRINDER.

srEcIFIcATI'oN forming part of. nettersratent No. 650,291, date May 2,2, 1906. Y Application led september- 131, 1899. semina. 730,514. (Nomads.)

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, FRANK W. ZIMMERMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washburn, in the county of Armstrong and State of Texas, have invented a new and use= ful Corn-Grinder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to corn-grinders, and is particularly intended for use in grinding ordinary corn, Kafr corn, millet-seed, and other grain, and has for its object to `provide a device of this character having an efficient and positive operation and including adjustable devices for regulating the'degree of fineness and wherein the corn or other material is first fed to a series of cutters, one of which acts at a time to reduce the power of driving theentire device, and whereby the grinding mechanism receives the corn or other material in a cut or broken state and facilitates' the grinding operation.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the subjoined description and the novelty pointed out in the appended claims, the preferred embodiment of the improvement being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a grinder embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a partof the device. Fig. 4 is a detail view' of a different form of feeder. Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the shell and a portion of the neck above the same. of the cone on an enlarged scale.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views. 4

The numeral l designates a supportingframe comprising opposite legs 2, adapted to be suitably fastened to a base-rest and having securedon the upper extremities thereof a horizontal bed-plate 3. Each of the legs 2 has a central slot 4 therein, which is vertically disposed as to its length, and adjustably mounted therein is a bearing-support 5,

the opposite extremities of said support projecting through the slots 4. On the inner side of one of the legs 2, adjacent the opposite side walls of the slot 4, fulcrum-guides 6 are fastened, and therein is mounted a pivot- Fig. 6 is an elevation` l clear where it crosses the recesses 16.

; rod 7, which extends transversely through the part of the bearing-support 5 extending be- 1 tween the said guides. adjacent one side of the slot 4, angle-plates 8 On the other leg 2,

are fastened and also applied to the inner side of the said leg. The member of each of said angle-plates which stands free and in a L plane parallel with the bearing-support 5 has 6o to the adjacent end of the bed-plate or otherwise fixed in immovable position. The bearing-support 5 has recesses 16 in the upper portion thereof to provide a central upstanding projection 17 and also to afford means for conveniently applying theoperative mechanism. An adjusting-screw 11 on the leg 2 also has bearing against the under edge of the projected end of the support 5 and serves 8o to assist the screw 11 in securing the adjust- `ment of said support.

A shaft 18 extends longitudinally throng the upper part of the bearing-support and is itted in the opposite extremities of the same as Well as the central upstanding projection 17, thus leaving a portion of the said shaft On' this shaft and movable in one of the recesses is a beveled pinion 19, which is keyed fast or 9o fastened in such a manner that a quick detachment thereof maybe obtained when it is desired to withdraw the shaft and also providing means for a convenient assemblage of the said parts. Both ends of the shaft 18 are 95 A,

projected beyond the opposite extremities of the bearing-support, and one end is squared, as at 20, for a purpose which will be presently explained, and on the opposite end is fastened a pinion 21; The pinion 21 meshes with a roo spur-gear on a lower drive-shaft 23, also extending longitudinally through the bearingsupport 5 and supplied with a band-pulley or analogous device 24 on one extremity and 'having the Opposite 'xtlemity extended. aifd at the upper terminal of the neck 44 and hasl a regular central depression and formed with radialope'nings 3l, as clearly shown by Fig. 3.Y '.'The upper end of the shaft 32 is fitted in the centerY of 'this feed-cap and extends ver-` tically through the machine, being angular andlhaving its lower end stepped or fitted in a bearing-socket 33 in the top of the upsta'nding projection 17. Onthe lower portion vof the said shaft 32 acrown-gear 34`is fastened, which meshes with the pinion 19, the sleeve 350i said gear extending upwardlyon the said' shaft, and therea'gainst is placed a grinding-cone 36; relatively lted in the shell 27 and widest at the latter point.

. of this'annular space is to clear the dischargeand having spiral teeth or grooves 37, which haveareverse direction to the teeth 28 of said shell, and at its lower portion said cone is formed with a series of circumferential grooves38,whichare disposed opposite the ribs '29'of the shell.A The cone 36 is of the form shown, by preference, and has an annul-ar space. 39 `openingout through thebottom ,The purpose groove25as much `as possible and prevent choking Yof the same, and vdepending into lthe Vsaid] groove'from the bottom of thecone are lugsf4`0, which'V act to push the ground materialjaro'u'nd' toward the discharge-spout 26. Qnthe shaft'32 in the `base of the hopper a knife-wheel 41 is secured', and` consists of a. series of five radially-extendin g blades closely bearing against the. upper side of feed-cap 30k andshaped similarly to the latter. The blades of 4thecutting-wheel are to be one less in number than the. feed-openings of the said. cap

of theshell. The hopper isl removably applied through its neck by any suitable means, and the feed-screw 42 works in said neck to force the cut or broken corn,grain, ,or other material vdown to the grinding devices, and thereby insure a uniform Vfeed at all times. The screw 42 is intended to be used with shelled corn or loosegrain, and to make the p grinder equally eectual in operating on unshelled corn a breaker 46, as shown by Fig. 4, is substituted for the screw 42, the said breaker having.outwardly-projecting pins 47, ,which crush thecobs or break them sufficiently fo'r effectual grinding.

In the operation of the improved grinder the corn or other material is fed into the shell 27 through the cap 30', being firstcut ortbroken by the knife-wheel 41,'as`beforeV vset forth. After falling into the shell 'thecorn or grain is Ycaught and ground in the spaceY between said shell and the cone 36, and t'hefground material is finally deposited in the dischargegroove 25, and from thence p'ushedto the discharge-spout 26 by the'lugs'40. The degree of fineness of grindingcan yberegulated by shifting the screw. 1'1` in opposite directions to raise or lower the end of the bearingsupport to which'it is connected .and simultaneously move all the gearing and shafts in `it may be desired torun ata slow speed, and

to arrange the device for such change of speed the pulley 24 is removed from the shaft 23 and fitted onthe, squared end 20 ofthe said shaft 18, the latter shaft Athen directly receiving the applied drivingpovver.V The feedscrew 42 is, alsovery convenient for use in feeding Kar corn,y which' is apt to pack very tightly and under ordinary circumstances interfere with a regular feed;` The agitation ofV IOO IIO

30,. and all ofthe said feed-openings 'willbe closedV .exceptone ,The blades of the cutting-wheel are also 'sharpened' at one edge'and t the screw will avoid any such tendency.

' While itis preferred that 'ther grinder be used for feeding corn-and grain of various coactwith `the edge walls :of thel'feed-openings, .and 'further provided with upstanding terminals 41, toserve as agitatingmeans. By havingthe feed Vregulated in thisrnanne'r" less power will be required to drive the'mechfeed-screw'or auger 42, mounted, below Athe cap-30,'and over the said screw is placed a hopper4'3', having a neck 44, to which` lsaid cap"is"secured,iand` provided witha lower flanged end 45, that bearson the upper edge' kinds, it is obvious that it might be also-conveniently employedin pulverizing ores, and inv such usel Iche cutting-wheel 41 would be removedand the feedl regulated accordingly. This'changewould notinvolve any departure ,from the invention, as itwould consistonly in depleting theI device, as'shown, of kaportion of its part-s. One of the very important features of the present' form of grinder Ais the adjustable means for the cone, which simultaneo usly shifts allthe gearing andshafts withoutjrequiring an individual adjustment of the latterV or ,disturbingtheir'movement The ,shell 27 can beV detacheda't any time and the cone removed from the bed-plate for cleaning purposes or other manipulation, and changes in the proportions, size, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

I-Iaving thus described the invention, wha is claimed as new is l. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a grooved bed-plate having an outow-spout at one side, a fixed shell mounted thereon, a rotatable cone vertically adj ustable within the shelland having a portion extending into the grooved bed-plate, a vertical shaft extending through the cone projecting above and below the same, a bearing-support for the lower extremity of the shaft below the bed-plate, ina planeat a right angle to the said vertical shaft, driving mechanism for the said cone-shaft carried by said bearing-support, and a horizontallydisposed face-gear fixed on the lower extremity of said shaft above the driving mechanism and meshing` with the latter.

2. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a bed-plate, a vertically-disposed stationary shell thereon, a feedcap mounted above the shell and having openings therein, a rotatable cone vertically adj ustable within the shell, a shaft fixed to and extending through the said cone upwardly to the feedcap, a knife-wheel on the shaft adjacent to the feed-cap, a feeding device below the said cap and knife-wheel between the latter and the upper extremities of the cone and xed to and rotatable with the shaftand surrounded by an inclosure betweenthe upper edge of the shell and the said cap, and mechanism for driving the said shaft to simultaneously rotate the cone and knife-wheel carried thereby.

3. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a bed-plate having a dischargegroove therein leading to a discharge-spout, a shell fixed in upright position on the said bed-plate, a vertically-adjustable cone rotatably mounted within the shell and having lugs depending into the said discharge-groove, a cap located abo-ve the upper extremity of the cone, and an inclosin g neck resting on the cone and supporting the said cap, means for feeding the material to be ground to the cone and shell fixed to the rotating means for Idie cone and located between the latter and the cap, supporting-legs for the bed-plate having openings therethrough, a bearing-sup-` port in a plane at a right angle to the plane of adjustment of the cone, and having its opposite extremities adj ustably mounted in the said openings of the legs and projected beyond the plane of the latter and extending j completely under the bed-plate below the latV- ter, a shaft having its lower end mounted on the bearing-support and extending upwardly through the cone and shell, a gear xed to said shaft below the cone, and driving mechanism including upper and lower horizontallydisposed shafts, extending in the same direction as and rotatably carried by the said bearing-support for operating the said gear.

4. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a bed-plate, a frusto-conical shell fixed thereon and having spiral teeth extending downwardly thereover and also provided with a series of ribs circumferentially arranged on the lower enlarged portion thereof, a cone rotatably mounted in the shell and having spiral teeth arranged. reversely to the teeth of the shell and also providedwith a series of lower circumferential grooves coacting with the ribs of the shell, means for feeding the material to be ground to the shell and cone, and mechanism for op-N erating and adjusting the said cone within the shell. i

5. In the device of the character set forth, the combination of opposite end legshaving slots therein, a bed-plate on the said legs having a discharge-groove therein leading to a discharge-spout, a shell of frusto-conical form xed on the said bed-plate and open at both ends, a vertically-adjustable cone rotatably mounted within the shell and having lugs depending intothe discharge-groove, a vertically-disposedshaft extending through the cone above and below the shell and having feeding means on its upper portion above the shell, a gear fast on the lower portion of the shaft having teeth on its lower face, a bearing-support extending under the bed-plate through the slots' in the legs in a plane at right angles to the said shaft andsupporting the lower extremity of the latter, the slots in the leg being longer than the vertical extent.

of the bearing-support, and the said bearingsupport vertically adjustable therein, a horizontally-disposed shaft mounted in the upper part of the bearing-support and extending.

longitudinally therethrough and having a pinion thereon meshing with the gear on the vertical shaft, a drive shaft also extending through the bearing-support in a plane parallel with and below the shaft above and having a gear connection with the upper shaft in the bearing-support, and means foradj usting the said bearing-support.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK W. ZIMMERMAN.

Witnesses:

C. G. LANDIs, W. II. TAYLOR.

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